The current study examines the relationship between support styles and exercise in cardiac rehabilitation patients, and how this relationship is mediated by relationshlp-inferred self-efficacy (RISE) and self-efficacy. To test this model, questionnaires containing items assessing these constructs were administered to patients (N = 41) and their support partners at Week One of a 10-week cardiac rehabilitation program. The SPSS macro PROCESS (hAYES, 2012) was used to calculate the possible mediation between support styles and exercise. Significant two-step mediation between support style and exercise was not found. However, regression analyses suggested that an autonomous support style is associated with an increase in patients' RISE beliefs (i.e., increased perceptions that their partners believed in their ability to exercise appropriately), which in turn predicted patients' self-efficacy in their own exercise abilities. Conversely, an overprotective support style was correlated with a decrease in patients' self-efficacy for exercise. However, neither RISE beliefs nor self-efficacy were significant predictors of self-reported patient exercise behaviors, as had been anticipated. Strengths and limitations of the study design are addressed. The findings suggest a relationship between support styles and efficacy processes. Specifically, autonomy support is significantly associated with increased RISE beliefs, which are in turn significantly associated with patient efficacy.

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